Clifton Council eliminates post, OKs title changes

By Adam Greenberg

STAFF WRITER |

Clifton Journal

CLIFTON – Job titles and duties were updated upon second reading at the Tuesday City Council meeting – an easy vote for Clifton's governing body because the salaries associated with those positions have gone mostly unchanged.

The position of housing officer has been eliminated and the salary and responsibilities associated with the job were distributed to other positions by unanimous vote at the meeting. Samuel DeGrose retired as the final housing officer in Clifton.

Some of the housing officer's responsibilities have been absorbed by City Engineer Dominick Villano, whose salary was updated by unanimous vote upon second reading to a minimum $89,868 and a maximum $136,000.

Also absorbing those responsibilities is the incoming Ordinance Supervisor Code Enforcement/Zoning Officer, a position created unanimously upon second reading at the meeting. The minimum salary for the position is $63,933.91 and the maximum salary is $78,727.18.

That position replaces the current Zoning Officer position, which has a minimum salary of $47,134.31 and maximum salary of $65,382.97. The Zoning Officer role was eliminated unanimously upon second reading at the meeting.

Councilman Peter Eagler and Councilman Matt Grabowski were unable to attend the meeting.

In other news

* The City Council voted unanimously upon second reading to update restricted parking on Normal Avenue and Woodlawn Avenue. The entire length of the north side of Normal Avenue becomes restricted parking from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Friday, and the entire length of both sides of Woodlawn Avenue becomes restricted parking from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Friday.

* City Manager Matthew Watkins said Clifton stands to recover $1.5 million from Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funding following a number of storms, including Hurricane Sandy, that have cost the City more than $2 million over the past year and a half.

Watkins said recovering funds from FEMA is a lengthy process and Clifton has only received about $50,000 so far, but the City Manager indicated he would continue to press the urgency of the issue while maintaining his patience.

* The City Council will have a joint meeting with the Board of Education on March 6 at 6 p.m. to discuss the school budget. A portion of the meeting will be used to field questions from the public. The meeting will be held in the Clifton Board of Education administration building at 745 Clifton Ave.

* Since its 2010 inception, the Clifton Cares project has sent out more than 1,050 care packages to troops serving across the oceans. Although more soldiers are returning home as American military units continue to pull out of overseas deployments, Lizz Gagnon, Dona Crum and Chris Liszner continue to operate the program and are still in need of donations for high international shipping costs of $13.45 per parcel.

Financial donations can be made out to Gagnon, with a note for Clifton Cares, and turned into the Tax Assessor's office in City Hall. Items like nonperishable foods, sanitizers and socks can be dropped off at the Clifton Cares donation box in City Hall.

Clifton Council eliminates post, OKs title changes

By Adam Greenberg

STAFF WRITER |

Clifton Journal

CLIFTON – Job titles and duties were updated upon second reading at the Tuesday City Council meeting – an easy vote for Clifton's governing body because the salaries associated with those positions have gone mostly unchanged.

The position of housing officer has been eliminated and the salary and responsibilities associated with the job were distributed to other positions by unanimous vote at the meeting. Samuel DeGrose retired as the final housing officer in Clifton.

Some of the housing officer's responsibilities have been absorbed by City Engineer Dominick Villano, whose salary was updated by unanimous vote upon second reading to a minimum $89,868 and a maximum $136,000.

Also absorbing those responsibilities is the incoming Ordinance Supervisor Code Enforcement/Zoning Officer, a position created unanimously upon second reading at the meeting. The minimum salary for the position is $63,933.91 and the maximum salary is $78,727.18.

That position replaces the current Zoning Officer position, which has a minimum salary of $47,134.31 and maximum salary of $65,382.97. The Zoning Officer role was eliminated unanimously upon second reading at the meeting.

Councilman Peter Eagler and Councilman Matt Grabowski were unable to attend the meeting.

In other news

* The City Council voted unanimously upon second reading to update restricted parking on Normal Avenue and Woodlawn Avenue. The entire length of the north side of Normal Avenue becomes restricted parking from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Friday, and the entire length of both sides of Woodlawn Avenue becomes restricted parking from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Friday.

* City Manager Matthew Watkins said Clifton stands to recover $1.5 million from Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funding following a number of storms, including Hurricane Sandy, that have cost the City more than $2 million over the past year and a half.

Watkins said recovering funds from FEMA is a lengthy process and Clifton has only received about $50,000 so far, but the City Manager indicated he would continue to press the urgency of the issue while maintaining his patience.

* The City Council will have a joint meeting with the Board of Education on March 6 at 6 p.m. to discuss the school budget. A portion of the meeting will be used to field questions from the public. The meeting will be held in the Clifton Board of Education administration building at 745 Clifton Ave.

* Since its 2010 inception, the Clifton Cares project has sent out more than 1,050 care packages to troops serving across the oceans. Although more soldiers are returning home as American military units continue to pull out of overseas deployments, Lizz Gagnon, Dona Crum and Chris Liszner continue to operate the program and are still in need of donations for high international shipping costs of $13.45 per parcel.

Financial donations can be made out to Gagnon, with a note for Clifton Cares, and turned into the Tax Assessor's office in City Hall. Items like nonperishable foods, sanitizers and socks can be dropped off at the Clifton Cares donation box in City Hall.